Physical destruction of electrical device and methods for triggering same

ABSTRACT

An apparatus and method for disrupting or destroying a component of an electronic device is provided. In one example, an electronic device includes a memory for storing data and a combustion device disposed therewith, the combustion device comprising a volume of electrically ignitable propellant disposed to render the memory at least partially inaccessible after combusted. For example, the combustion device could damage the memory itself or another component of the electronic device, such as a controller or read head, thereby rendering the data inaccessible. In some examples, the memory may include a magnetic storage material such as a magnetic hard drive and the combustion device may be disposed and operable to provide demagnetization of the storage material when combusted. In other examples, the combustion device may merely destroy or render inoperable the read head or other components of the electronic device needed for accessing stored data.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/053,956, filed May 16, 2008, entitled “Physical Destruction Of Electrical Device And Methods For Triggering Same”, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety for all purposes.

Further, this application is related to three U.S. provisional patent applications filed on May 16, 2008, U.S. Ser. No. 61/053,916, entitled “Family of Metastable Intermolecular Composites Utilizing Energetic Liquid Oxidizers with NanoParticle Fuels In Gel-Sol Polymer Network” U.S. Ser. No. 61/053,900, “Family of Modifiable High Performance Electrically Ignitable Solid Propellants” (Attorney Docket No. 280.01), and U.S. Ser. No. 61/053,971, “Electrode Ignition and Control of Electrically Ignitable Materials”, all of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entirety. This application is further related to the following PCT application and US application filed on an even date herewith: U.S. Ser. No. ______ [[attorney docket no. 280.03]], “Family of Metastable Intermolecular Composites Utilizing Energetic Liquid Oxidizers with NanoParticle Fuels In Gel-Sol Polymer Network,” and PCT Ser. No. ______ [[attorney docket no. 280.07]] “Family of Modifiable High Performance Electrically Controlled Propellants and Explosives,” filed on an even date herewith, both of which are incorporated herein by reference.

SECRECY ORDER

The present application incorporates by reference U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 11/305,742 and 10/136,786, both of which were previously under a secrecy order under 37 CFR 5.2.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Certain aspects described herein may have been made in part during work supported by a Small Business Innovative Research contract from the United States Navy (N65538-07-M-0119) “Miniaturized Safe-Fuel Electrically Controlled Divert & Attitude Control System” and Office of Naval Research, DE Technologies Inc. subcontract #A630-1341, Tactical Urban Strike Weapon: Safe Fire-From-Enclosure the Marine Alternative to Double-base Propellants. Certain aspects herein may have been made in part during work supported by a Phase I Small Business Innovative Research contract from the United States Missile Defense Agency (HQ0006-06-C-7419) “Solid-State Electrically Controlled Rocket Motors for safe Attitude Control Systems.” The government may have certain rights in the inventions.

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates generally to devices, systems, and methods for the physical destruction of electronic components via an electrically ignitable combustion material, and in one particular example, to electrode ignition of an electrically ignitable material to at least partially destroy or render unreadable magnetically stored data.

SUMMARY

In one aspect of the present invention an apparatus and method for disrupting or destroying a component of an electronic device is provided. In one example, an electronic device includes a memory for storing data and a combustion device disposed therewith, the combustion device comprising a volume of electrically ignitable propellant disposed to render the memory at least partially inaccessible after combusted. For example, the combustion device could damage the memory itself or another component of the electronic device, such as a controller or read head, thereby rendering the data inaccessible.

In some examples, the memory may include a magnetic storage material such as a magnetic hard drive and the combustion device may be disposed and operable to provide demagnetization of the storage material when combusted. In other examples, the combustion device may merely destroy or render inoperable the read head or other components of the electronic device needed for accessing stored data.

The electrically ignitable propellant of the combustion device may include self sustaining combustion materials (i.e., self sustaining combustion after ignited). In other examples, the electrically ignitable propellant may require continued power or electrical current to sustain combustion.

The combustion device may be activated or initiated by a switch associated locally with the electronic device, e.g., a physical switch, and/or switched via a user interface in response to user input. In other examples, the combustion device may be initiated remotely, e.g., by a wireless signal or a signal received remotely over a network such as the Internet. The combustion device may further be initiated in response to a security breach, e.g., in response to breaking a tamper proof seal, a software security breach, reported stolen, or the like.

According to another aspect of the present invention a method for providing electrical ignition of a combustion device for disrupting the operation of an electronic device is provided. In one example, the method includes the acts of causing the initiation of a combustion device disposed with an electronic device, the combustion device comprising a volume of electrically ignitable propellant disposed to disrupt operation of the electronic device. The combustion device may be disposed within the electrical device to cause data to be partially or wholly inaccessible after the combustion device is activated.

The present inventions and various aspects are better understood upon consideration of the detailed description below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary electronic device having a combustion device including an electrically ignitable propellant disposed therewith.

FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate cross-sectional side and top views, respectively, of a first exemplary combustion device structure including electrodes and an electrically ignitable propellant.

FIGS. 3A-3C illustrate an exploded view, perspective cross-sectional side view, and cross-sectional side view, respectively, of a second exemplary combustion device structure including wire electrodes and an electrically ignitable propellant.

FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrate a cross-sectional side view and cross-sectional top view, respectively, of a second exemplary “core burner” structure including washer electrodes and an electrically ignitable propellant.

FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary hard drive including an exemplary combustion device after combustion.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following description is presented to enable a person of ordinary skill in the art to make and use various aspects and examples of the present invention. Descriptions of specific materials, techniques, and applications are provided only as examples. Various modifications to the examples described herein will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be applied to other examples and applications without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the examples described and shown, but is to be accorded the scope consistent with the appended claims.

According to one example of the present invention, an electrically ignitable material is used for the disruption or destruction of at least a portion of an electronic device. For instance, the electronic device may include a memory component such as a hard drive, solid-state digital memory device, or the like for storing data. An electrically ignitable combustion device may be disposed with the electronic device and operable to destroy or render the memory partially or wholly unreadable by the electronic device.

For instance, impingement of solid or liquid gas generating material flame on component(s) of the electronic device may provide damage thereto by heat, deposition of solid and liquid combustion products and/or physical damage to a component(s) of the electronic device (e.g., damage to the magnetic or optical store media surface coatings, damage to the solid-state memory, or the like). The impingement and close proximity of gas generating material combustion may provide demagnetization of magnetic media by surface heating, for example. Further, the impingement and close proximity of gas generating material combustion may provide deformation of the storage media, circuitry, housing, reader heads, etc., making data access partially or wholly unattainable via the electronic device. Additionally, impingement and close proximity of gas generating material combustion may provide electrical shorting of internal wiring, circuitry, motors, read heads, and actuators, making data access partially or wholly unattainable via the electronic device.

The ignition or triggering of the combustion device may be performed manually by a user of the electronic device. For instance, via a physical switch or user interface associated with the electronic device. In other examples, the combustion device may be switched remotely by the user of the electronic device or another, e.g., via a network or Internet connection, radio or cell transmission, or other wireless transmission methods. Additionally, the combustion device may be switched by security software (e.g., if the device is stolen, compromised, failure to enter a correct password, or the like), which may be triggered via wired or wireless signal(s).

In another example, the combustion device may be used to provide tamperproof electronics, for example, operating to destroy the form and function of electronic circuits on boards or chips or deny use of the device or copying of design information. For instance, an incorporated combustion device could be triggered if a seal on the electronic device is broken or tampered with to destroy certain electronic circuits.

The exemplary combustion devices and structures may include energetic materials that may be broadly described as electrically ignitable solid or liquid propellants which can be ignited and controlled, at least in part, by the application of electrical power as an electrical circuit. Exemplary energetic materials are described in U.S. Ser. Nos. 10/136,786, 10/423,072, 11/787,001, 08/758,431 to Katzakian et al., and U.S. Ser. No. 61/053,900, “Family of Modifiable High Performance Electrically Ignitable Solid Propellants” U.S. Ser. No. 61/053,916, “Family of Metastable Intermolecular Composites Utilizing Energetic Liquid Oxidizers with NanoParticle Fuels In Gel-Sol Polymer Network”, and PCT Serial No. ______, “Family of Modifiable High Performance Electrically Controlled Propellants and Explosives” filed on an even date herewith, and U.S. Ser. No. ______ “Family of Metastable Intermolecular Composites Utilizing Energetic Liquid Oxidizers with NanoParticle Fuels In Gel-Sol Polymer Network”, filed on an even date herewith, all of which are incorporated herein by reference.

For example, passing electrical current through such exemplary materials causes ignition/combustion to occur at or along electrode surfaces. The use of an electrically ignitable propellant obviates the need for igniters (e.g., spark or other thermal igniters such as resistor elements or the like) to initiate propellant combustion. Accordingly, in examples described herein, combustion of a specific volume of propellant (referred to herein as a “grain” or “grain element” of propellant) is initiated and/or controlled by electrical power between electrodes and through the propellant. In some examples, the electrically ignitable propellant may be self sustaining and completely combust after being electrically ignited. In other examples, electrically ignitable propellant may require or combust more efficiently if current is maintained through the material until combustion is completed (and may be controlled to cease combustion if the current is ceased or reduced).

In some examples, electrical ignition of the material occurring along one or more electrodes can be modified or controlled using burn-away electrical insulations like Teflon, polyethylene, or the like. Further, by varying the number of ignition electrodes, polarities, and/or their geometry, the propellant burn rate can be altered, up to and including the explosive yield, efficiency, or rate. Exemplary geometries include, but are not limited to, coaxial grains, sheets and plates, rolled sheets or jellyrolls, core burning grains, slot burning grains, star burning grains, straw burning grains, single or multi-electrode end-burning grains, wired end-burners, and the like.

Apparatus described herein, including an electrically ignitable propellant, may be desirable because they are electrically controllable and have no moving parts. Manufacturing methods for exemplary structures described herein may span known methods used in the semiconductor industry for microchips, such as photo etching and chemical vapor deposition, upwards to drill, stamped, or molded dies layered together for larger devices. These manufacturing methods may allow mass production of these devices at relatively low cost compared to conventional thruster devices.

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary electronic device 10, which may include various electronic devices such as a computer, computer component, laptop computer, internal or external hard drive, cell phone, smart phone, GPS device, pager, other electronic device, or combinations thereof. In this example, electronic device 10 includes a controller 20 and a memory 22. Memory 22 may include a magnetic storage material such as a hard disk drive or magnetic tape, as well as other storage media including, but not limited to optical media, solid-state storage devices, holographic storage media, and the like.

Electronic device 10 further comprise a combustion device 100 disposed therewith. Combustion device 100 is disposed to at least partially damage memory 22, controller 20, and/or other components (such as wiring, transducer heads, I/O interfaces, and the like) of electronic device 10 when activated. In one example, combustion device 100 is disposed to damage memory 22 and render data stored therewith partially or wholly unreadable (even if removed from electronic device 10).

Combustion device 100 may be activated manually by a user of electronic device 10, for example, via a physical switch or via an interface of electronic device 10. Further, combustion device 100 may be activated remotely via wireless signals received by receiver 30. For instance, radio or cellular waves may transmit a signal causing the activation of combustion device 100.

In one example, if a device is stolen or lost, a user may signal the combustion device 100 via receiver 30 for destruction of the electronic device and/or memory 22, thereby safeguarding stored data. A service could therefore be provided to consumers of electronics (such as laptops or cell phones) to include combustion devices such as combustion device 100 with purchased electronic devices (if not already included) and register the devices. A user may then contact the service or access a website to activate the combustion devices when desired, which may be activated via wireless signals or through a network or Internet connected.

FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate cross-sectional side and top views, respectively, of exemplary combustion device 100 including an electrically ignitable propellant 102. Combustion device 100 further includes coaxial electrodes, electrode 101 a comprising a wire disposed in the center of a cylindrical shaped electrode 101 b. Various other configurations and geometries, e.g., as shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, are possible and contemplated. Power may be supplied to electrodes 101 a, b via a common power source of electronic device 10; alternatively, combustion device 100 may include its own local power source for initiating combustion.

In operation, electrodes 101 a and 101 b conduct current through the electrically ignitable propellant 102 causing combustion thereof. In this particular example, the center electrode 101 b includes an insulator 103 to control the combustion of propellant 102; in particular, the application of voltage to electrodes 101 a and 101 b initiates combustion at the end of the device 100 (to the right in FIG. 2A). As combustion of propellant 102 begins insulation 103 burns away to sustain combustion at the end of device 100.

Propellant 102 may be disposed with electrode 101 a (or a suitable housing, not shown) in any manner, for example, cast, poured, vacuum poured or the like into electrode 101 a or other suitable housing. The separation between electrodes 101 a and 101 b may be varied for efficient combustion of propellant 102, which may include HIPEP propellant (High Power Electric Propulsion propellant), and which when ignited may be self-sustaining or not. HIPEP propellant is described, for example, in AFRL-PR-ED-TR-2004-0076, “High Performance Electrically Controlled Solution Solid Propellant,” Arthur Katzakian and Charles Grix, Final Report, the entire content of which is incorporated by reference herein. Further, suitable propellants include those described in U.S. Ser. No. 61/053,900, “Family of Modifiable High Performance Electrically Ignitable Solid Propellants”, and U.S. Ser. No. 61/053,916, “Family of Metastable Intermolecular Composites Utilizing Energetic Liquid Oxidizers with NanoParticle Fuels In Gel-Sol Polymer Network”, U.S. Ser. No. ______ [[attorney docket no. 280.03]], “Family of Metastable Intermolecular Composites Utilizing Energetic Liquid Oxidizers with NanoParticle Fuels. In Gel-Sol Polymer Network,” and PCT Serial No. ______ [[attorney docket no. 280.07]] “Family of Modifiable High Performance Electrically Controlled Propellants and Explosives,” all of which are incorporated by reference herein. In some examples, the propellant is generally flexible when cured (e.g., is the case for HIPEP propellant) and can be used with flexible foils or thin metal layers for electrodes 101 a and 101 b to form various configurations, such as spiral shapes or jelly roll designs.

The material of electrodes 101 a and 101 b, e.g., aluminum or other suitable material, may be consumed during combustion of propellant 102, thereby increasing the amount of material expelled during combustion. In other examples, electrodes 101 a and 101 b may include stainless steel or the like so as to not be consumed by the combustion. Additionally, insulation layer 103, which may include Teflon or Phenolic coatings, may also be combusted with propellant 102. As seen in FIG. 1A, insulation 103 does not extend to the end of electrode 101 a such that a portion of propellant 102 contacts opposing electrodes 101 a and 101 b near the axial face of structure 100. The insulation layer 103 burns away in front of the flame front, thereby sustaining a contact between electrodes 101 a and 101 b and propellant 102 (if needed, e.g., depending on the propellant material). In some examples, the power supplied to electrodes 101 a and 101 b may be stopped or varied to control the rate of combustion of propellant 102.

As previously described, propellant 102 is ignited with suitable potential supplied across electrodes 101 a and 101 b. An exhaust port can be positioned generally at the axial top and/or bottom axial face of structure 100. In one example, a housing (not shown) may be included to cover the bottom axial surface of structure 100 such that as propellant 102 is ignited and combusted from the top axial surface and proceeds downward. Further, multiple structures 100 may be grouped or clustered together using a common electrical ground to provide individual combustion control with fewer wires. Such clusters may be potted in a suitable matrix forming a unified solid-state device.

FIGS. 3A-3C illustrate an exploded view, perspective cross-sectional side view, and cross-sectional side view, respectively, of a second exemplary structure 300 including electrodes and an electrically ignitable propellant. In this example, structure 300 includes stainless steel electrodes 301 a and 301 b, electrode 301 b including a stainless steel case enclosing an aluminum encased propellant 302.

Further, structure 300 includes a nozzle 312, which may be made of graphite. Nozzle 312 may be designed and used to control combustion or gas generation of structure 300 as will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art. Further, in configurations where combustion occurs at two or more openings, two or more nozzles may be used. In another example, not shown, electrode 301 a may extend within nozzle 312, which may assist in combusting any propellants particles which are ejected without being ignited and come into sufficient electrical contact with electrode 301 a and nozzle 312 and/or electrode 301 b.

FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary “core burning” structure 400 including washer electrodes 401 a, b and electrically ignitable propellant 402 having a core region 404 for combustion gases to escape. In other examples, electrodes 401 a, b can also be in the form of wires similar to that of FIG. 2A, or flat sheets or foils to create a higher surface area of ignition (e.g., various other configurations are described in copending U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 11/305,742, entitled “Controllable Digital Solid State Cluster Thrusters For Rocket Propulsion And Gas Generation,” which is incorporated herein by reference). The core region 404 may be formed after the propellant is disposed in the structure by drilling, etching, milling, laser milling, or other suitable material removal processes. Further, as will be recognized by those of ordinary skill in the art, a casing or housing, nozzle(s), and other structures may be included with the exemplary structure shown. The core region 404 may be aligned at least partially with an aperture in a housing to assist in channeling gas and heat through a port or nozzle. In other examples, core region 403 may be formed as a slot, cross, or other shape.

FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary hard drive device 510 including a combustion device 500 which has been combusted. As illustrated, heat and combustion products have heated and damaged portions of the magnetic disk or platter of the hard drive. Also, the placement of the combustion device 500 may be such that heat damages the arm and/or read write heads to render the data partially or wholly irretrievable after activation. It should be understood that combustion device 500 may be disposed in various other fashions relative to the hard drive disk or electronics of hard drive device 510. Additionally, any number of combustion devices may be disposed within an electronic device.

Various other structures and configurations of electrodes, exhaust ports or cavities, multiple grain arrangements (including vertically stacked structures) are further described in copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/305,742, which is incorporated herein by reference. Exemplary methods and structures described allow for multiple combustion devices to be manufactured simultaneously, reducing costs while providing redundancy. Further, the electrodes may include conductive materials such as copper, aluminum, stainless steel, zirconium, gold, and the like. Insulator materials for the dies, casing, or to separate grains may include rubber, phenolic, Teflon®, ceramic, and the like. The electrode geometries may be configured to allow specific volumes or surfaces of propellant to be ignited individually and/or in combination to achieve desired combustion generation control. Electrode geometry and/or conductive surface coatings can control propellant combustion either proceeding inward from surfaces or to instantaneously ignite specific volumes. Electrode surfaces may be varied from smooth to porous mesh changing the surface area in contact with the propellant. Once the hardware assemblage/stack is formed, the propellant is added by casting with or without vacuum depending on scale. Additionally, mandrels may be used to control propellant casting as is known in the art. It will be further appreciated that various additional features may be included or associated with the described structures, such as power supplies, controllers, electrical pins, connectors, housings, electrode structures, and the like.

The above detailed description is provided to illustrate exemplary embodiments and is not intended to be limiting. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that numerous modifications and variations within the scope of the present invention are possible. For example, various examples described herein may be used alone or in combination with other systems and methods, and may be modified for varying applications and design considerations. Accordingly, the present invention is defined by the appended claims and should not be limited by the description herein. 

1. An electronic device including apparatus for disrupting the operation of the electronic device, the apparatus comprising: a memory for storing data; and a combustion device comprising a volume of electrically ignitable propellant, the combustion device disposed to render the memory at least partially inaccessible after combusted.
 2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the combustion device is disposed to damage the memory when combusted.
 3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the combustion device is disposed to damage circuitry for accessing the memory when combusted.
 4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the memory comprises a magnetic storage material and the combustion device is disposed to provide demagnetization of the magnetic storage material when combusted.
 5. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the combustion device is disposed to damage a component of the electronic device.
 6. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the electrically ignitable propellant is capable of self sustaining combustion.
 7. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the electrically ignitable propellant requires current to sustain combustion.
 8. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the combustion device is initiated by a switch associated locally with the electronic device.
 9. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the combustion device is initiated remotely from the electronic device.
 10. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the combustion device is initiated by a wireless signal.
 11. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the combustion device is initiated by a signal received via a network connection.
 12. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the combustion device is initiated by a signal received via the Internet.
 13. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the combustion device is initiated in response to a security breach.
 14. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the combustion device comprises coaxially disposed electrodes.
 15. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the volume of electrically ignitable propellant comprises a cylindrical ring of propellant defining a core region, the core region operable to channel exhaust gasses from the combustion device during combustion.
 16. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the combustion device further comprises a nozzle for passing combustion gases.
 17. An electronic device including apparatus for disrupting the operation of the electronic device, the apparatus comprising: at least one electrical component; and a combustion device comprising a volume of electrically ignitable propellant, the combustion device disposed to render the at least one electrical component at least partially inoperable after combusted.
 18. A method for providing electrical ignition of a combustion device for disrupting the operation of an electronic device, the method comprising the acts of: causing the initiation of a combustion device disposed with an electronic device, the combustion device comprising a volume of electrically ignitable propellant and disposed to disrupt operation of the electronic device.
 19. The method of claim 18, wherein the combustion device is disposed within the electrical device to cause data to be at least partially inaccessible after the combustion device is activated. 